Dementia is a term used to describe a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking and social abilities. In people who have dementia, the symptoms interfere with their daily lives. Dementia isn't one specific disease. Several diseases can cause dementia (Mayo Clinic, 2025).
The six key cognitive domains used to assess and diagnose dementia, according to the American Psychiatric Association and DSM-5, are complex attention, executive function, learning and memory, language, perceptual-motor function, and social cognition. Complex attention encompasses the ability to focus on multiple things simultaneously, choose what to pay attention to, and maintain focus over time. Executive function refers to higher-level cognitive abilities that control and coordinate other cognitive functions and behaviors, such as planning, decision-making, and problem-solving. Learning and memory involve the ability to record information, such as facts or events, and retrieve it when needed. The language domain focuses on the ability to communicate, whether through speaking, writing, reading, or understanding language. Perceptual-motor function encompasses the ability to coordinate body movements in response to what is happening around us, including visual-spatial processing and motor skills. Social cognition focuses on how we process, remember, and use information in social contexts to explain and predict our behavior as well as the behavior of others.
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